


Barry and the Gotham Bat

by Captain_Giggles



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Barry meets Batman, Crossover, Established Relationship, Fanboy Barry, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, coldflash - Freeform, protective Len
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-07
Updated: 2016-05-07
Packaged: 2018-06-06 21:35:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6771118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captain_Giggles/pseuds/Captain_Giggles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if he met Batman?</p>
<p>He couldn’t meet Batman as nerdy Barry Allen. He needed to meet Batman as the Flash, fellow vigilante. Someone totally worthy of speaking to Batman or maybe even ‒dare he think it?‒ shaking Batman’s hand.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>The fic in which Barry goes to Gotham. What could possibly go wrong?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Barry and the Gotham Bat

**Author's Note:**

> I really want to write a Barry/The Flash meets Batman fic. Alternate Universe obviously. It doesn’t really intersect with any specific plot points in the show although some characters or events might be referenced. LoT isn’t really a thing in this fic and the Coldflash is already established. Just go with it.
> 
> Admittedly written while kind of tired and not Beta read. Forgiveness?

“Absolutely not.”

“But _Len_ ,” Barry whined, trying to tug his Flash suit from the villain’s clutches. “I need my suit to fight crime.”

“You are not going to Gotham to fight crime Barry. You are going to Gotham to listen to that nerd stuff you love so much in order to translate for Iris’ article. You are going as Barry Allen, a good friend and brother. You are _not_ going as a superhero.”

“But what if I meet Batman? It’s Gotham, Len. If I fight crime in Gotham for _just one night _I could meet _Batman_.”__

“I’d really rather you didn’t."

Barry huffed and temporarily relinquished his hold on his suit. He didn’t understand why Len was being so difficult about this. Ever since he told his nemesis/boyfriend about his trip with Iris the man had been completely on edge.

At first Barry had thought that Len was concerned about Barry’s past feelings for his best friend; an idea which was, admittedly, ridiculous. Barry had committed himself to this relationship months ago when he finally told Joe that he was dating Captain Cold and it was serious. He’d dealt with the inevitable explosion followed by disapproving silence until his foster father had finally gotten used to the idea‒ even if he still didn’t approve. The point was, everyone of importance in Barry’s life knew that he was happily involved with his frosty villain-turned-lover-but-still-technically-a-”bad-guy-dammit-Barry-stop-calling-me-good.” Which led Barry to believe that the problem wasn’t the _who_ but the _where._

Gotham was no Central City.

Central may have superpowered meta-humans and Rogues running around, but even the worst couldn’t compare to some of the lesser criminals wreaking havoc in Gotham. But surely Len knew Barry could handle himself by now. His training with both Len and Oliver ‒done separately after the first meeting because of icy and pointy reasons‒ was finally paying off. He still ran head first into battle (much to Lenny and Ollie’s displeasure), but he didn’t get nearly as beat up anymore. The Flash could totally handle Gotham City for one night.

And seriously, _what if he met Batman?_

He couldn’t meet Batman as nerdy Barry Allen. He needed to meet Batman as the Flash, fellow vigilante. Someone totally worthy of speaking to Batman or maybe even ‒dare he think it?‒ _shaking Batman’s hand_. The very idea nearly sent him into a fanboy frenzy. He and Cisco may or may not stalk news about the Bat of Gotham. And they totally didn’t secretly agree that he was even cooler than the Green Arrow, because Barry has removed more than enough arrows from his body thank-you-very-much. Honestly though, he’d be happy just to catch a glimpse of the legendary Dark Knight silently brooding on the edge of a building, silhouetted by the light of a full moon as he pondered justice and stuff. That sort of thing happened all the time in Gotham, right?

Either way, Barry _needed_ his suit.

“Len, I don’t get why you’re being like this. You trust me, right? Surely the muggers and petty thieves of Gotham aren’t anymore dangerous than Central’s.”

Leonard’s tense stance slackened somewhat, but he still held the Flash suit tightly. The couple stood on opposite sides of the bed in their shared apartment, Barry’s suitcase open and mostly packed on the mattress between them.

“It’s not that I don’t trust _you_ , Scarlet, but Gotham is full of psychopaths.”

“We hang out with Heatwave all the time.” 

“Mick is different. He’s a charismatic, funny psychopath. Likable, if you will.”

Barry frowned. Len was being completely unreasonable and the longer this went on, the more he realized that he probably wasn’t going to win this argument without cheating and using his speed to steal his suit from the master thief’s hands. Still, he had to try.

“What if I promise to bring you back a souvenir? Maybe I can track down Mr. Freeze and get his autograph? I _know_ you have a Villain Crush on him.”

“Barry, did I not just say that I want you to stay away from Gotham’s crazies?” Len’s hands were twitching somewhat, a sign that he wanted to run them over his short hair in frustration. Barry also noticed that he didn’t deny having a Villain Crush on Mr. Freeze.

“How about Catwoman then? She seems pretty sane… if you ignore the crazy cat lady bit.” The Speedster continued to push, knowing that his refusal to back down was really starting to get on his usually patient lover’s nerves. “I mean, she is basically a female, feline version of you.”

“Barry Allen,” Len snapped, “You are going to escort Iris to her event and then you are going to go _straight back_ to your hotel and _stay there_.”

“Come on, Len. I’m already late to pick up Iris. She’ll kill me if we miss our train. Just give me my suit‒”

“No.”

Barry could feel the Speed Force pulsing through him as he prepared to make a dash for it. Leonard wouldn’t be happy, but he’d get over it eventually.

“ _Len_ ‒”

The Cold Gun suddenly made an appearance, the core active and chilling the air in the room.

“Not happening, Kid.”

The two glared at each other. What had started as a lover’s quarrel was now a hero/villain standoff in their bedroom.

“I know you won’t use your gun on me while I’m like this, _Cold_ , so just hand it over. I promise I’ll be careful.”

Captain Cold narrowed his eyes, glancing between the Flash and the garment clasped in the hand not holding his weapon. After a moment of deliberation, he dropped the suit to the floor. Barry had only a second of relief before he watched Len take aim and turn the reinforced tri-polymer into a lump of ice. For a moment neither of them spoke.

“I can not believe you.” Barry growled. “That’s going to ruin the carpet.”

“Scarlet‒”

“Don’t!” He ran a hand through his already ruffled hair, body tense as he tried to reign in his frustration. He knew that, in his own overbearing way, Len was just trying to protect him, but Barry still couldn’t help but disagree with the man’s behavior. The Speedster didn’t try to change his lover’s thieving ways, so Len didn’t get to decide when or _where_ Barry could be a hero. “We’ll talk about this when I get back.” He said and gathered his belongings.

Noticing the tight set to Len’s jaw, the stiffness in his shoulders and the poorly concealed concern in his blue eyes, Barry paused on his way out the door. In a flash he had his arms around Len, placing a quick kiss on the corner of his mouth. “I promise I’ll come back safe.” He said and a second later was gone. Iris really would kill him if they missed their train.

\---

Len stood alone in his and Barry’s apartment, the ghost of a kiss still tingling on his lips. With a weary sigh he dropped to sit on the edge of the bed, resting his head in both hands. He knew he could have handled that situation better, but when it came to Barry, all his plans and usual patience went right out the window. He wasn’t used to this. He wasn’t used to worrying over someone other than Lisa, who ‒unlike a certain Speedster‒ didn’t have a habit of sprinting head first into danger.

Barry didn’t know Gotham like Len did. Didn’t have the same criminal connections. Len was certain that the Flash had no clue just how different the quality of villain was compared to his own. In Central City, Team Flash could give their metas cute little names and try to make peace. Sometimes it even worked. Hell, just look at where The Flash’s relationship with his favorite criminal ended up: In bed.

It wasn’t like that in Gotham. 

Even the Green Arrow’s usual fare didn’t quite measure up. Star and Central Cities had Iron Heights with its fancy new meta ward. Gotham had Arkham Asylum. Big difference.

The most genuine crazy the Flash had dealt with were the Tricksters. James Jesse and Axel Walker wouldn’t last five minutes with Scarecrow, the Riddler or ‒God forbid‒ the Joker. And okay, the Reverse Flash, Zoom and Deathstroke hadn’t been the usual run-of-the-mill bad guys, but that didn’t change the fact that Barry was underestimating just how dangerous Gotham was. Two days in that city would probably be fine for most people, but Len knew Barry. The kid was a trouble magnet. Him being there was bad enough, but with him actively seeking out trouble in order to meet the Batman? That just had ‘disaster’ written all over it.

Len fished his cellphone out of his pocket and dialed Ramon.

“Did Scarlet happen to breeze in and take the suit about… two minutes and forty six seconds ago?” He didn’t even give his sister’s geeky little boytoy a chance to speak when the call finally connected.

“Geez, Captain Cold. Hello to you too.” The scientist snarked and Len’s eyes narrowed. Lisa’s pet was getting too uppity, he’d have to freeze some part of him or his brother again soon. It wouldn’t due for someone so close to Lise not to fear him.

“Answer the question Ramon.”

“Yeah, he did. He didn’t stop to chat though so I didn’t get to ask. What happened to the spare he keeps there? If something happened to my suit‒”

Len disconnected the call. So Barry had taken his hero costume after all. He glanced down at the slowly thawing block of ice soaking the carpet. Barry was right, they’d probably have to replace that. He decided to call Mick next.

“What d’ya want now, Snart?” The pyro growled as a greeting.

“What are your plans for the next few days?”

“Hell if I know. Probably just light some shit on fire, get drunk, fight, fuck. The usual. Why?”

“We’re going to Gotham.”

**Author's Note:**

> I suck at chapter fics, I really do. But I’m going to try. I’m graduating this friday and I only plan on five chapters at the most so I can do this.  
> Let me know what you think!


End file.
